Chapter 40: NOW.... NOW THE REAL FUN SHALL BEGIN

Chapter 40: Chapter 40: NOW.... NOW THE REAL FUN SHALL BEGIN

"I will dispatch my subordinates to finish him off."

Bailon turned, his white robes barely stirring as he walked toward the exit.

He didn’t even take two step when Lady Layla moved

Her palm cut through the air and

BOOM!!!!

The backlash of wind sheared the tower in half. Stone, steel, and glass vaporized into dust. In one breath, half the meeting hall ceased to exist.

And yet—

Bailon stood untouched. Not a thread of his robe was out of place. As if the wind was not directed at him anyways

Whether she missed on purpose, or whether her strike simply could not reach him... no one could say.

He gently turned his head.

"You dare to walk away from us as if we are your servants?"

"You are a child," Bailon said without looking back. "I have no time to entertain tantrums."

"Say that again," Layla hissed. She rose slowly. Air coiled around her waist like serpents. The clouds outside began to churn.

"Fahai."

Said Kiuesna. The oldest and calmest of them all.His old tired eyes opened half way

"Morgan is on a path to become the most dangerous existence in this world."

"Potential," Bailon corrected, voice flat. "He has potential. But what of the actual monsters ? What of the calamity of Deceit"

Kiuesna’s expression hardened.

The Faceless Man. Calamity of Deceit. One of the Ten Destructions of Mankind.

"Or Deis," Fahai continued "Don’t pretend you’ve forgotten. Last time, Deis fought two of us alone and walked away. Who here can stop them now?"

"We are not what we were back then—"

"Exactly," Fahai snapped. "Neither are they. Do you think they sat idle for fifty years?"

The room turned deadly silent. Even Layla’s rage dimmed a little.

Kiuesna exhaled. "Then we must be reasonable. We don’t know why the Destructions went quiet for five decades. But they will return. And we must be ready."

Layla smiled. It wasn’t a kind smile.

"For all we know, Faceless is already sitting at this table."

The air went cold as uneasiness rest open the room. What Layla said is possibly true.

Faceless could wear any face. Steal any power. And he’s extremely good at it. And as if that’s not enough. Faceless is one of those calamities that are really dangerous. A calamity in its Truest form.

"It has also been a long time since Truth was seen," Lougard murmured.

Truth. The only Good Deeder to ever wound Deceit. Together they had carved him open, but as one would expect. He managed to escaped. After that battle Truth disappeared.

Dead? Hiding? Evolving?

No one knew. But his name was still carved among the Ten Virtues. Like Patience, he was a ghost that rarely makes himself seen.

"I know this," Fahai said. His voice was soft, but it silenced the room. "Deceit did not survive that battle with Truth. Even if he did, he’ll be badly injured, If we are able find him now, we can end him."

"I like that," Layla grinned.

"But I’d bet Morgan’s already in Vandals grasp."

"Then we find the hideout—"

"And we burn it down," Layla finished.

"For now," Kiuesna said, "we send our subordinates. We focus on the true threats."

Grace finally spoke. Calm. Elegant and precuse.h

"And who among us is qualified? If we send someone and they fail, we only make Morgan stronger. We become fertilizer for his growth."

"That is why I—"

"I’ll send mine!" Layla cut in, eyes gleaming.

Of course she would. To Layla, everything was a competition. Especially against Fahai.

Because if belief was the strongest power in the world... then Fahai was its god. The Good deed of believe.

"This is not a game, Layla."

"Then don’t treat it like one." she retorted

Lougard raised both hands. "I’m out. You two fight it out."

"That’s not the point," Grace said. "The question is: who do you have that can actually kill Morgan?"

"I have someone who can beat anything you bring," Layla said.

"Then let’s settle it," Lougard shrugged. "A competition. To see who’s strongest."

"You’re useless," Grace smacked him.

"I accept," Layla turned to Fahai. "Unless you’re scared."

"If I were scared of you, Layla, I wouldn’t be standing here."

"I don’t think you’re scared of me," Layla smiled. "I think you should be."

Fahai smiled back. Gentle.

"Tomorrow, then. A contest of power. For now, I am called to the capital."

He raised a hand. Space ripped open like paper. Golden light slowly shoned through the torn space.

He stepped in. Then paused, then again he turned one last time and look at

Layla still standing. Lady Grace, seated elegantly. Lougard still looking as bored aa hell. Kiuesna, eyes closed.

"I will find the Destructions of Mankind and I will set this world free of them"

The rift closed.

"Tch." Layla walked to the edge of the broken tower. Wind twirling around her.

"I’ll find those rats first. And I’ll be the one to put them in the ground."

"Enough," Kiuesna said. "This infighting helps no one. Our goal is the same."

"A world," he said, "where Calamities do not exist."

"A world where Calamities do not exist," they all answered.

Layla then crouched and

BOOM!!

She launched into the sky. The shockwave flattened the clouds for miles.

Lougard whistled as he stares at the sky "Dramatic as always."

"That’s Layla."

"I do wonder who she’ll send fir the contest tommorow " Grace said.

Kiuesna smiled faintly. "Fahai’s subordinates are strong. Angel. Liues Martell. The Singer. But... they lack something."

"What?"

"The Holy Door," Grace said. "Most of Layla’s Good Deeders have stepped through it. They no longer play by the system’s rules. They are not restricted by mana."

"And one of them," she added, eyes gleaming, "has Motion Manipulation."

Lougard’s eyes widened. Then he laughed.

"Alright. Now I’m interested. I know where I’m putting my money."

...

Fahai stepped out into heaven.

A small island. A still, yellow lake. A single ancient looking tree with pale yellow leaves. The sun was yellow. The water was yellow. The air itself felt like a memory.

This was the Fifth Wave of Fahai.

And waiting on the shore, in a simple gown, was Singer.

4th Ranked among the strongest in the capital.

"I have a request, Singer," Fahai said as he slowly descended towards Singer

She curtsied, voice like a bell.

"I am at your service, my sire."

"Tomorrow there will be a contest. I need you to participate in it for me "